Brad Turner has a passion for learning. His new focus: alternative means of growing Florida’s signature crop.
Secret Weapon? Newest Citrus Disease Tool Could be Found in Citrus Micobiome
LAKE ALFRED, FLA — The tiny microbes that reside in citrus trees could be the key to growers’ success against citrus diseases, like citrus canker. University of Florida researchers hope to discover how microbes may benefit citrus trees, and the end result may be an environmentally friendly and sustainable way to control plant pathogens. Nian Wang, professor of microbiology …
Sneak Peek: September 2021 VSCNews Magazine
By Clint Thompson The September issue of VSCNews Magazine highlights issues discussed at this year’s Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 18-19 in Fort Myers, Florida. Imports, H-2A improvements, carbon markets, COVID-19 impacts and an update on the current Tomato Suspension Agreement were a few of the topics discussed during the Ag issues session. Issues like whitefly management, …
Alabama Trying to Contain Citrus Canker
By Clint Thompson How citrus canker arrived in Alabama is still in question. What is certain is it is an issue the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries is determined to contain before it becomes a major problem, says Kassie Conner, director of the Auburn University Plant Diagnostic Lab during a recent webinar on the Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Facebook …
Sanitation Remains Key in Whitefly Control
By Clint Thompson Sanitation of vegetable crops susceptible to whiteflies remains a key management strategy for Florida producers. Hugh Smith, an associate professor of entomology and nematology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, encourages growers to clean up their fields properly following harvest to reduce the risk of feeding damage and potential viruses. “If you don’t make …
UF Invention of the Year: AI Technology ‘Agroview’ Recognized
Yiannis Ampatzidis and his research team at the University of Florida/IFAS found artificial intelligence technology that helps farmers save money and better care for their crops. Out of that process, they invented a system known as Agroview. It captured the eye of UF Innovate | Tech Licensing, which recognized the technology as a UF Invention of the Year. “I am …
Powdery Mildew a Growing Concern for South Florida Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson What was once a disease that feasted mostly on squash in South Florida has quickly taken more of a liking to one of its fellow cucurbits – watermelons. Pamela Roberts, vegetable plant pathologist at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, discussed at last week’s Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo how powdery mildew disease has …
UF Specialist: Hemp Research to Take Time
By Clint Thompson Florida hemp research is still in its infancy, but progress has been made, insists Jerry Fankhauser, the assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station who oversees the University of Florida hemp research program. “There’s a lot to learn, but we’ve come a long way in just two years,” Fankhauser said. “I think where we’re at right …
New Viruses Detected in Florida Melons
IMMOKALEE, Fla. — Florida’s watermelon producers face two new viruses. But it is important to remember that finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped diagnose both diseases. “Now that it is known that there are additional (watermelon) viruses in the mix, efforts can be made to determine their impacts …
Water Quality Concerns in Florida Stir up Citrus BMP and Phosphorus Questions
Growers call for more research on appropriate rates before new rules are imposed.